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As The Thunder Clouds Roll In…

…I feel a brainstorm coming on. (For the Big Writing Project, aka BWP, among other things. Henceforth, the Project I am doing with my class with be forever known as, “BWP”.)

Ever wanted to write, but didn’t quite know how to put what you wanted to say into words? Or maybe you were a blank slate– one of the writers’ worst fears, the dreaded lightening bolt of Writer’s Block, which can strike you when you least expect it, and instantly short-circuit your brain.

Fear not, readers. This happens to the even the best of authors; you are definitely not alone in your rut. And this fine evening, I’d like to help you with your little ordeal. It’s called…

BRAINSTORMING.

There are multiple ways to do this, to re-stimulate the little electric-fried brain cells in that noggin of yours. The most important thing is that they’re all pencil and paper/keyboard related (or at least, eventually pencil and paper/keyboard related).

The first is to get up for a bit. Sometimes, we’ve been sitting for far too long in one day, and it kind of just makes your brain rot…Or fly the coop, period…

But you know what? That’s why God invented fresh air. To breathe and rejuvenate. And why He made our bodies to MOVE (because they cannot otherwise function properly). Plus, it get the blood flow to your head– where it needs to go. Get outdoors, or at least move about. Even little things in the slightest change of environment can help inspire you (Trust me, I’ve even been inspired by rotting wooden beams encircling a playground. Rotting wooden beams, people.) to write something. If you’re home, go out for a run or something, or a walk and talk to yourself (or, if you feel self-conscious about that, pretend you’re talking on your phone, when you’re not. Leigh Bardugo herself admitted to this little scheme.). When you get home, take a shower. If nothing’s come to you yet, it may at this point; sometimes ideas will just plop down with the water droplets. But take your time, and be patient. Sometimes, ideas will even occur as you’re about to go to bed.

But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a change of scenery isn’t the only way to get those juices flowing.

I often choose a way to word-vomit, personally. Usually I make myself sit down and just WRITE. If I’ve a blank slate, I just write whatever pops into my brain, whether it makes sense or not. But it’s important to KEEP GOING. Try writing for twenty minutes straight, no stopping. It’s okay if it’s weird. It’s okay if it doesn’t make sense. It’s okay if your odd dream about your aunt Thelma is in one sentence, and your passion for airplanes is in the next. IT’S OKAY.

Sometimes, I will even use this technique when I’m story-writing. I just write and see what happens. If I don’t like it, I can always go back and edit or alter it later. I’ve gotten a couple good ideas just by doing that, and pleasantly ended up surprising myself when I thought I was at a dead end at a certain point.

Even word clouds– drawing little clouds and writing words in them that all relate to each other for some reason– help. Just little things can help to make a LEVIATHAN difference!